Assorting device



Spf.l 1, 1943.4 M. SHUMAN 2,328,854

AssoRTlNc- DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1942 7` 8a I I I i /4 /q j' o /6 Z Uf da f INVENTOR.

v `Patented Sept. 7, `19.43`

' "Moses automatically to be vtherein assorted and de- `posited intoa series of receptacleseachfof which i is positioned `to receive only 'articles `of "au predeo :termined length. v i l i i l Totliis end,` theinvehtion resides "inthe coml. .binatins hereinafter described in detailand ill. Ilustrated inT the appended drawing, of which: l

Fig. l is a plan "viewof a screw'assorting device embodying the invention:k

' Fig. 2`is an enlarged endfelevationof `the `de-` vice taken substantially on a line `2--2` of-Fg. 1

as viewedin the directionof the arrow; and

i Figs. 3l and 4 illustratedetails of construction i ithe importance Aof which will be appreciated upon, Y

perusal of', the following detailed description.

trated inthe drawing, comprises fabase `Lwl'iich mair bethe oorlon which the device is mounted. i y In standards 2 and 3 .are journaled parallel shafts 4, 5,'to which are rigidly secured pulleys 6,1. il An endless belt 8 is held suspendedubetween .these @two pulleys. The standardsare shownfeXtended to form bearingslforvertical shafts I0, 1|,.which For this reason, it is ordinarily'found It is important to note, however, thatvthetwo belts are not arranged in parallel relation to each v other, but that theyjgradually draw away from each other so as to provide therebetween anarrow, uniformly wideningspace.` A

row ofreceptacles Il is placed directly below this A continuous ssoR'rING nevica` e e e e einen, Lessngies," oaiir. l application octloberelz, 1942, serial N o. 461,653

ledges of the twobeus. Itlisimportant to note e' i thatthe' upper edge ofthe vertical belt islplaced a shortzdistance above'thesurface ofthe hori zontalbelt. This lhas .the Aadvantage of tipping Y thepoint of-,theadvancing article B downward so `that the lfweight thereof 1 will `tend to vmaintain the head Vofthe` article in contact: with the ver` tical belt. 'I'he-gradual movement-of thejhorizontal belt away from the latter further assists "This invention relatesto devices for assorting 1 variousarticles, such ass'crews, bolts; 'rivetsandj .thellike. i Y e l w 'It isthe general object'of my invention to pro- Y L` `vide asimple, inexpensiveand highly `eflicientde l vice into which such screws, bolts or rivets,` un. assorted as to length, may be fedmanually ort -yzg lN'I'h'e deviceof the'inventiominthe formillusf l 1 .Where,.as in Fig. 4, the I headi-s squarewith the shank thereof, thedevice inA maintaining theqscrew head'i'n Contact Lwith the vertical belt. If theLuppersurfaceof the` former is placed level withthe upperedge ofithe latter, danger is .present `that the article, due to vibration or the like,A may commencetof roll while being carried forward and: to drop overtthe edge of nthevertical belt, thereby` to defeat the purposejof `the invention. l. l

underside ofthe screw will always function perfectly. f But where artifit may `be" found advisableV slightly` to roughen or indent the upper redge of the `Vertical belt. To il:-

i notches :20s, in whichunassortedlarticles of `difwidening, space to receive `the assorted articles and the like. Examination of Fig. 1 will show drop into the proper receptacle. l

. ttention is now directed to Figi 4,`in which a screw or boltB is shown riding on the adjacent' which, in thepresentinstance take the "form of" j ffat headmachine screws A. But, asgabove statedgl the device operates equally well on bolts, rivets l cations Within the i ferent. diameters `mayzvirrnly lodgefso that they cannot roll.` i

The drawing is merely illustrative of `a preferred form of the invention and is not to be sole aimv'clearly to indicatethe principle of opera-` tionlof the invention. Nor do I mean to limit myself to the identical structureor arrangement shown, but reserve the right to embody modifias tollength comprising,4 a belthavinga hori` zontalreach,` a vsecond belt having a vertically "disposed reachadjacent one edge of said horizontal belt `andspaced beyond said edge to one side of a vertical projection of `,the horizontal reach, the `belts being so related that screws may `be placed on thelhorizontal belt with their heads riding on and at least aportion thereof overhanging the upper'edge of the vertical belt, the said upper edge being `slightly elevated above thehorizontal scope of the claims hereto` speed. i v v j t 3. In a device for assorting screws andthe like reach so as to tilt the screws toward the latter thereby by gravity to maintain the heads of they I screws riding on said upper edge, means for moving said reaches in the same direction'- at the same speed to carry the-screws placed thereon .y l along therewith, the reaches gradually diverging laterally yso as to draw the point of each screw toward and over the edge of said horizontal reach. t

2. rTwobelts extending along parallel planes, one belt having a horizontal reach, 4the other-belt having a vertically' disposed reach adjacentjto and laterally spaced away from said horizontal reach and. with its top edge preferably slightlyj` z above said horizontal reach, the two reaches being closer together at one end and gradually diverging laterally, and means for moving said .tworeaches in the same direction and at the sarne as to length, an endless belt having the surface yof one .reach thereof horizontally disposed, a secpndl endless Y'belt having thel surface of one :reach thereof vertically `disposed adacent tol amd lat'- -erallypace'dcaparit from 4one side edger of 'said first `nam'edjbelt reach, the surface'V of said. 'verticalgreach 'gradually diverging laterally from the adjacent Aedge ofthe horizontal belt reach, the upper edge :of said verticalpreach taking a positio'n .slightly above .and `-parallel vvwiththe upper surface of. said horizontalreachgand means for f vmoving `said belt reachesV in :andiat the sarnespeed.

the same direction erally so spaced' apart from: one .sideedge of v"said Y horizontal belt reach 'that screws' may' benplaceli onthebelts withtheir 'heads restingonthe upper edgefof said vertical reach landtheir .points Yon said horizontal reach, `means vfor moving bothlbelt .reaches in the same direction at the'sanie speed,

fthe surface .of said vertical reach graduallydiverginglaterally from the 'adjacentedgeof lthe 'horizontal reach so as 'to drawfthepointfofeach horizontally disposed belt reach that screws may thereof vertically disposed adjacent to and laterally so spaced apart fromone side edge of said be placed on vthe belts with their heads resting on the upper edge of said vertically disposed reach and their points on said horizontal reach, the

upper edge of said vertical reach taking a position slightly above and' parallel with the surface of said horizontal reach so as to support the screws in slightly tilted position, `thereby to prevent the screw heads from rolling olffsaid upper Y edge,the said reaches gradually diverging lateryally so as to draw the point of each screw toward and over the edge of the horizontal reach.` l '6.- Ina device for assorting screws and the like as to length, an endless belt having the surface of one reach-thereof horizontally disposed, a secl ond" endless belt vhaving the surface of one reach screwtoward and over `the edge offgthe horizontal reach..

5. :In a device yfor assorting screwsiand ythe .like fas-'to length, an endless belt having the.surface offene reach thereof horizontally disposed, aisec- -ond endlessbelt having the surface of one-reach llover theledge .of saidhorizontal reach,

thereof vertically disposed adjacent to and latera'lly so spaced apart therefrom that screws may :be ,placed on,-,the belts with their heads resting ongthefupper edge of said vertically disposedtreach and their points on said horizontal reach,there .being notches in the upper edge of said vertical reach for. receiving the .screw heads thereby to prevent thescrews from rolling off 4this edge, vinea-ris for moving both vbelt reaches in the same Vdirection Yat the same speed, the surface -of `said vertically disposed reach igradually diverginglat- Aerally from the adjacent jedge lof the horizontal reach so as to draw the point of eachpscrewtof ward and; over the edge `offsaid horizontal'reach.r

'7. In adevice for assortingfscrewsaridthelikek as tof-length, a belt having a horizontal reach, a

,second Abelt having -a vertically disposed reach adjacent one edge of -saidhorizontal belt 'and .spaced beyondl said edge to one sidefofaivertical projection .ofi thejho-ri'zontal reach, the belts being `so related that screws :may be placed von -the horizontal belt with their heads riding onAand at least a `portion thereoffoverhanging the Vupper edge of the vertical belt, there being notches :in .v .the upper edge of the verticalbeltfforgreceiving Athe screw heads thereby to prevent the screws fromprollingoff this upper ledge, rneansforinov- :ing said reaches in the same direction at-thefsamc vspeed toy carry screws fplaced -thereon'along there- 'wi-th, the reaches gradually diverging laterallyso' as to `draw the pointiof each screw .toward and MosEs siro-MAN." l 

